After qualifying for their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Wales exceeded all expectations as they finished top of Group B and reached the last four, going out in the semi-finals at the hands of eventual champions Portugal.

And Carragher, who won 38 international caps for England, says Wales must use this level of success and confidence as a springboard.

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“With the players they have got, and listen when you have got a player like (Gareth) Bale, you have got a chance to achieve things,” said Carragher.

“Coleman has said he is going to stay on for the next two years and then maybe move on, but he has done a fantastic job. The change of system was a big thing, going to three at the back and getting Bale and (Aaron) Ramsey free in the middle where they can cause as much damage as possible, he needs to take a lot of credit for that. But the last thing they want is to be a one-tournament wonder.

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“The World Cup is bigger than the European Championship, so you want to get Wales to a World Cup, that will be huge and they have got to be confident of doing that and it goes back a long way, maybe even to Brian Flynn, these young players getting them involved and getting this young side together that has grown.

“They will be legendary figures now for Wales, it is not easy for Wales, the size of the country to compete on the world stage, so what they have done has been amazing.”

Wales finished top of Group B following wins over Slovakia (2-1) and Russia (3-0) and despite a last gasp 2-1 loss to England in their second game. However a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in the second round and a 3-1 victory in Lille over Belgium in the quarter-finals saw Wales reach the last four.

Jamie Carragher at the launch of the Jamie Carragher Sports and Learning Academy in Colwyn Bay (Image: Paul Jones)

With the best four third place runners up from each group also qualifying for the second round, Carragher always felt Wales had an excellent chance of progressing, and admits that despite being a proud Englishman, he was cheering on the Welsh as the tournament progressed.

He added: “I fancied them to get through the group, especially that three teams could go through, so I always thought they would go through.

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“In Bale and Aaron Ramsey, but certainly in Gareth Bale, you have got a top class player that any country in European football would like to have in the squad. When you see a player like Bale he can just do things out of nothing.

“He is just a special player, he has taken the country to special things along with the other players and Chris Coleman, but when you have a player of that quality he drags the rest with him.

Jamie Carragher at the launch of the Jamie Carragher Sports and Learning Academy in Colwyn Bay (Image: Paul Jones)

“But what I mean by Bale is that it is not just his performances, he makes other people play better because they see him do what he does and he gives them hope and belief they can go and win a game.

"They have a world class player and it raises everyone’s game and standards and then confidence kicks in and it goes from there. I am not saying Wales are a one-man team, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I just think he is a special player and he has lifted everyone and the other players. It was a special time, well it is a special time for Welsh football.

“I am not a Welshman, but I was cheering them on, that Belgium game was probably as good as any game in the tournament, I was in a bar watching that having a few drinks, so I was an honourary Welshman that night celebrating.”